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Word of warning: Little stronger language in this chapter

His silence is painful. I watch as his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel as he pulls into a parking space near the entrance to the airport. An ache in my stomach piercing me to the core.

"Okay, what's going on?" I ask as he cuts the engine, and holds the keys in his palm.

He takes a long breath, closes his eyes, and leans his head against the back of his chair.

The worry I feel, amplifies.

"Honesty is something that I'd given up on a long time ago." His words are quiet, steady, and emotionless. "I've been alone for so long, I'd forgotten what it was like to have someone trust me. My siblings trust was lost long ago..."

I wait for more to come, it seems like ages.

"And then you show up. Turn my world upside-down, and with every part of my being, I tried to push you away. But you had your hooks in me so deep..."

"...What are you saying?"

A sigh escapes his lips as he opens his eyes to stare at the roof of the car, still as a statue.

"That I need you to trust me," And when he finally looks at me, his eyes are darker than I've ever seen them, "Even when I don't deserve it."

A chill climbs up from my toes, through my legs, and shakes me to my centre.

"Tell me." I demand, my voice sounding hollow in the small space.

A beat of silence.

"I slept with Hayley."

A long beat of silence.

I'm out of the car, bracing my hands against a large cement pillar few stalls down, trying to catch my breath. The cold of the concrete pricks at my sweaty palms.

"Caroline!" His voice is far away one second, but when I turn around, he's standing right next to me. Without a seconds thought, or hesitation; so abruptly I catch us both off guard, and I hit him. The sound of my palm colliding with his face echoes off the parkade walls.

"You let me sit there, you let me tell you how angry and hurt I was! And you just," I shove his chest; he doesn't even try defending himself. "You just had sex with me! How dare you!"

"It was a long tim—"

"How long?" I yell, crossing my arms over my chest. "Before she came to Mystic Falls?" Nothing. "Before she fucked Tyler!?" Nothing. "I hate you." I whisper, my voice raspy from yelling, my stomach twisting in knots and I actually feel like I could be sick.

"Don't do thi—"

"No, stay away from me!" I try and move around him, but he's quicker than I am. He grabs me from behind, holding my arms firmly against my chest, crushing me to him. "Let me go!" I try to move, but he's impossibly strong.

"I didn't want to tell you," He says this in my ear, his hot breath against my neck. "I knew this would be the outcome, do you think I wanted to risk losing you?" I squirm again, but he holds me fast. "Caroline, I will try my hardest to make up for this dreadful mistake. And I will spend the rest of eternity trying to gain back your trust."

I stop trying to fight against him; I become very still as his words flow out of him mouth, molding the things I want to hear, right in this moment.

"Please let me go." My voice sounds robotic, stiff.

"Are you going to run away from me again?"

I blink, an old couple exits the airport, holding hands as they walk through the wind together. My heart slows, my arms go weak, and I become tired...

I can only shake my head.

"Good." He whispers, and after another second, his arms loosen, and he puts space between us.

Keeping my back turned to him, my eyes follow the couple until they are in their car and driving away. The peace in them is unmistakable. My heart burns with the familiar feeling of betrayal.

"I'm going home."

XXX

The town is the same.

How is that possible? I've changed so much; become a person I hardly recognize. I've been the happiest I've ever been, and the saddest all in the same breath. I've seen the most beautiful things, and witnessed the ugliest. I feel like I've aged decades instead of months...

So how can I come back here, back home, and nothing has changed?

"Can I do anything?" Klaus asks, the noises of the airport around me grate on my tired ears. I didn't sleep a minute on the flight, my eyes burn dry.

"No."

"I'll drive you home."

"I said no, just go."

I touch the brass of the door knob; it feels oddly unfamiliar to me. I turn it easily, but it's locked.

I sigh, having less than a clue where my key would are, I check my pockets anyway, knowing full well they're not there.

"Caroline?"

I look up, and she's standing there. In the hallway of my childhood home, peering out the window in the door, a look of utter shock painted across her features.

"Mommy..." I whisper, tears already springing to my eyes.

She rushes to unlock the door, and as soon it's opened, I throw myself into her arms, the sobs rocking me violently as I cry into her shoulder.

"Shhh..." She strokes my hair the way she always did when I was upset about anything. She doesn't ask questions, or get angry at me for leaving, ignoring her for weeks... She just lets me cry. "It's going to be okay..."

XXX

"Do you want to talk about it?" She sets down her coffee cup, and leans forward in her chair, looking more of a policeman than my mom.

"No," I pick up my cereal bowl and bring it to the sink. "I'm sorry," I say quickly, leaning against the kitchen counter and look at her. She looks tired. Though I'm sure she got more sleep than I did.

"You don't have to apologize." She shakes her head and stands. "But I want you to know I'm here if you need me."

I nod.

She stares at me for one more second before walking over and taking my face in her hands.

"I'm so happy you're back." She smiles a little, and kisses my forehead.

I wish I could say it back, but I can't.

The grill is empty. I walk to the bar, but it doesn't even appear to be open.

"Hello?" I call out, trying to peer into the back.

"Sorry, party doesn't start till seven—" Matt pokes his head out of the kitchen, it seems to take him a second before he registers it's me. "Oh my gosh Caroline!" He throws the dishtowel he's using to dry his hands over his shoulder and comes around the bar, grabbing me in a hug.

"Hey," I say, feeling my lips twitch with a smile for the first time since yesterdays nightmare.

"When did you get in?" He pulls away, holding me at arm length, looking me over as if I may have changed that much in two months.

"Last night," I say, glancing around the empty restaurant, "Where is everyone?"

"The Mayor's rented the place out for a party tonight, celebrating passing the law of zero tolerance for violence." We both roll our eyes at the same time.

"The man does know he's Mayor of Mystic Falls and not Fantasy Land, right?"

Matt chuckles, but it seems stiff, forced.

"Listen Matt—"

"Look Caroline, you don't have to explain yourself." He seems to be saying this out of politeness, I can sense he's uncomfortable.

"Okay," I nod, forcing a small smile.

There's a moment of silence; awkward silence, something that the two of us haven't experience since last year, after our breakup.

"I have to get back to work," Matt points over his shoulder to the kitchen.

"Oh, of course," I back away, hating myself for coming.

"But hey, you should come tonight!"

"Am I invited?"

"The whole town is," He sticks me with a serious look, "Come."

I hesitate only a second.

"Alright."

XXX

It's the moment I've been dreading. My heart falls into my stomach as I watch him enter the grill, alone. Thank God. I don't think I would be able to stop myself from tearing that Wereslut's face off if I saw her right now.

It's only a minute before his eyes find mine across the room where I'm sitting with Elena and Stefan at a booth in the corner.

I'm not drunk enough for this.

"Excuse me," I mumble, chucking my napkin on the table before sliding out of the booth.

As I approach, his puts his hands in his pockets, the way he always does when he's uncomfortable.

"I didn't think you were gonna come." Tyler sounds almost as shocked as Matt was.

"And I was hoping you weren't."

"Do we have to do this?"

"No." I shake my head a little, glancing around at the grill, jam packed with people. I catch Elijah speaking to the Mayor, even he showed up for the event. With a quick look around the immediate area, Klaus is nowhere to be found. "No, we don't."

"What brings you back to town." The bitterness in his voice is obvious.

"Actually you." I glare slightly. At least that's what my excuse was before I found out about Klaus and the she devil, but I'm not telling Tyler it was a pathetic attempt to run away from confrontation. I'd already done that once before. "I heard you were back in town and wanted to talk to me about something."

He scoffs lightly, raising an eyebrow at me, "Remember that day, the last time we saw each other?" His voice is low now as he brings up the vicious memory.

"Vividly." I say through gritted teeth.

"We were standing right here, in this spot." He gestures around the room vaguely, "The day you chose Klaus over me." His eyes narrow. "The man who doesn't feel... or care. All because of a stupid mistake."

An unexpected giggle burst through my lips, causing him to frown deeper. He actually looks angry now.

"Look," I take a step forward, closing the gap between us slightly. "Klaus is fucked up. I know that. He's confused and insane, and actually a total mess." I work hard to keep my voice steady, "But do you really believe that someone gets that way, from not caring?"

No response.

"Tyler we all pretend not to care to some degree. It makes it easier to heal and mend when things go south. I made that mistake—" I shoot him a glare, "But no one can actually stops caring. Even when people flip the switch... they always come back because they care too much. The truth is... He's just better at pretending than the rest of us are." I shrug a little, and when I'm satisfied with his silence, I slip around him easily, heading for the bar.

"Caroline—"

"Do me a favor, and stay away from me." I shoot over my shoulder before going to the bar and ordering a real drink. "Vodka neat."

As the night comes to a close, Tyler is nowhere to be found, and Hayley still hasn't shown her face.

The few people that linger are all pretty drunk, including Damon and Rebekah.

"I..." Elena shakes her head a few times, "Didn't know what to say. I thought you, deserved to know. I mean when Tyler told me I thought it was just some cruel way to get back at you for leaving..."

I chuckle a little, though it's humourless, and dull.

"I was so stupid," I set down my empty glass loudly, "Thinking he was any different than every other guy on the planet."

"He did tell you... I mean, before you found out. That has to count for something." She reasons. "And I mean, at least you weren't together..."

I sigh, and stare daggers at the empty bottles in front of us.

"You want another one?" Matt asks, untying his apron and nodding at my lack of drinks.

"No thanks. I think I'm going to head home."

"Me too," Elena nods, pushing herself up and off the barstool.

"Well this night couldn't have gone any worse." I mumble, I'm tired of dramatic confrontations and I need a long hot shower.

"Wanna bet?" Bonnie's looking at the door, and before she says anything else, I know who walked in.

"Let's just go," Elena suggests, grabbing her jacket from her chair.

I nod.

As Hayley walks further into the bar, the chatter stops, and everyone turns to look at her.

"Well don't let the fun stop on my account." She shrugs, her eyes sliding over the room before resting on mine.

I grab my purse, and stand up, meeting her somewhere in the middle of the dining room.

"Hey Caroline," Hayley greets, a sharp edge to her voice.

I don't answer.

"Now girls," An intoxicated Damon stands up, holding his hands up in surrender, "There's no need for a cat fight."

I narrow my eyes at him.

"Look I just want to go home," I say, pinning Hayley with a look before trying to walk around her.

"Oh come on Caroline," She crosses her arms across her chest, keeping me captive there. "You know you were just hoping I'd show up here tonight, so let's talk!"

"Okay, I'm lost," Rebekah says from her place beside Elijah.

Stefan quickly steps in between us.

"Look, maybe this isn't the time or place to sort out your differences."

"See brother, and I think their problem is they both have one very similar interest." Damon states, a joke in his voice.

I roll my eyes dramatically.

"Look I'm tired, I just want to leave." I say to her, making a mental note to get Damon back for that comment later.

"Why do you hate me so much?" she smirks, bating me with obtuse questions.

I glare narrowly at her, "How about the fact that you broke my neck in a bathroom stall and assisted in the mass murder of 12 hybrids to help a psychopathic serial killer?" I side step her, heading for the door.

"Oh, we all know the only reason you're upset is because I screwed Klaus before you got around to it!"

The room becomes so silent you could hear a pin drop. It's as if the air was stolen from my lungs. My hands shake a little with the intensity of the moment, my heart pounds a little too fast.

Without another thought, or a moment stolen to second guess, I've spun around, and with all my vampire strength, my fist connects with her jaw with an audible crack.

She's on the floor before I've registered all the emotions pumping through me.

The first thing that breaks through the haze of adrenaline is pain. My knuckles throb painfully, and with a quick look at my hand it's obvious it's broken.

I shake it a few times, feeling the bones reconstruct quickly.

The second thing that comes to mind is the beautifully toxic scent of Klaus Michaelson.

With a quick look over my shoulder, I catch sight of him, standing in shock in the doorway. Looking between me and the Wereslut on the ground in front of me.

"Feel better?" Damon asks, raising his eyebrows at me, a smile playing with his mouth.

I glance around the room at the faces of my friends.

Elena's shock; Bonnie's disapproval; Damon's amusement; Stefan's sympathy; Elijah's awe; Matt's alarm; and Rebekah's delight...

"Kind of." I give my hand one last look. It's still bruised and a little sore.

"BITCH!" Hayley yells as her dumbfounded look turned into one of pure rage as she tries pushing herself up.

"Took the word right out of my mouth." I spit back at her, grabbing my bag from where I dropped it at me feet, and turn around, brushing past Klaus without touching him... without a second look.

Even though I crave him... So so badly.

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